G/AG/GEN/161  
 
27 July 2020  
(20-5147) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Agriculture  Original: English  
 
AD HOC REPORT ON COVID -19 MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES  
IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR  
SUBMISSION BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
1.  Listed below are some of the major actions taken by the United States of America in relation to 
the COVID -19 pandemic as of 24 July 2020.  This list is illustrative and not exhaustive.  
2.  The United States notes that this ad hoc report is not a substitute for normal transparency 
obligations. The United States will notify all relevant domestic support measure s in the relevant 
notifications for the relevant years.  
3.  Since the onset of the pandemic in the United States, USDA has maintained a COVID -19 webpage 
that is regularly updated with all activities USDA is undertaking to respond to the pandemic.  
Visit https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus  for the most up to date information.   
  G/AG/GEN/161  
 
- 2 - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AD HOC REPORT ON COVID -19 MEASURE S 
Measure  Agency  Short Description  Website  Legal Reference  for 
Actions  
Coronavirus  Food 
Assistance  Program  (CFAP)  USDA  
Farm Service Agency  The CFAP provides vital financial assistance 
to producers of agricultural commodities 
who, due to the COVID -19 outbreak, 
suffered a five -percent -or-greater price 
decline over a specified time or who had 
losses due to market supply chain 
disruptions and face additional significant 
market costs.  https://www.farmers.gov/cfap  Coronavirus Aid, Relief,  
and Economic 
Stability  (CARES) Act,  
the Commodity Credit 
Corporation (CCC) 
Charter Act  
USDA  
Farmers to Families  
Food Box  USDA  
Agricultural Marketing 
Service  USDA partners with national, regional and 
local suppliers, whose workforce has been 
significantly  impacted by the closure of 
restaurants, hotels and other food service 
businesses, to purchase up to USD 3 billion 
in fresh produce, dairy and meat products. 
Suppliers will package these products into 
family -sized boxes, then transport them to 
food banks, community and faith -based 
organizations, and other non -profits serving 
Americans in need  https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling -food-to-
usda/farmers -to-families -food-box  Families First 
Coronavirus Response  
Act 
Crop Insurance  USDA  
Risk Management 
Agency  USDA is working with Approved Insurance 
Providers to provide additional flexibilities in 
response to COVID -19, including but not 
limited to enabling electronic reporting a nd 
transactions, extending dates and deadlines 
for various reports, providing additional 
time and deferring interest on premium and 
other payments.  https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus  existing authorities  
Marketing  Assistance  
Loans (MAL)  USDA  
Farm Service Agency  MALs now mature at 12 months rather than 
nine months and this flexibility is available 
for nonrecourse loan commodities.  https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news -room/news -
releases/2020/usda -announces -loan-maturity -
for-marketing -assistance -loans-now-extended -
to-12-months  CARES Act   
  G/AG/GEN/161  
 
- 3 - Measure  Agency  Short Description  Website  Legal Reference  for 
Actions  
USDA  
Farm Loans  USDA  
Farm Service Agency  USDA is providing additional flexibilities to 
provide producers  with credit options in 
response to the coronavirus pandemic.  
USDA is relaxing the loan making process, 
extending deadlines, making disaster 
set-aside provisions (normally used in wake 
of natural disasters) available to direct loan 
borrowers who have been impacted by the 
pandemic.  https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus  existing authorities  
Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program  (SNAP)  USDA  
Food and Nutrition 
Service  USDA has allowed flexibilities to redu ce the 
need for face -to-face contact for SNAP. For 
example, USDA is allowing states to conduct 
SNAP  quality control interviews by 
telephone instead of in person. USDA has 
also offered states an optional 
45-day extension on certain quality control 
case revi ews. The Families First Coronavirus 
Response Act and CARES Act provide USDA 
a contingency reserve should SNAP exceed 
budget estimates.  https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus/food -
assistance  Families First 
Coronavirus Response 
Act, CARES Act,  
and 7 CFR 272.3(c)  
Special Supplemental 
Nutrition Program  
for Women, Infants,  
and Children (WIC)  USDA  
Food and Nutrition 
Service  USDA has been expeditiously approving 
state requests to allow for additional 
substitution options if availability of certain 
WIC-prescribed foods is limited.  USDA is 
also minimizing face -to-face interaction in 
WIC by reducing required visits to the clinic 
through a variety of waivers, temporarily 
waiving in -person requirements for 
enrolling/reenrolling for WIC and picking up 
WIC benefits, and allowing deferment of 
certain medical tests. The Families First 
Coronavirus R esponse Act and CARES Act 
provide USDA additional funding.  https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus/food -
assistance  Families First 
Coronavirus Response 
Act and CARES Act  
Food Distribution  USDA  
Food and Nutrition 
Service  Under the Presidential Declaration of a 
National Emergency, USDA may approve 
state and Tribal Nation requests for Disaster 
Household Distribution.  The Families First 
Coronavirus Response Act and CARES Act 
provide USDA additional fundi ng for The 
Emergency Food Assistance Program, a 
food distribution program.   https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus/food -
assistance  Families First 
Coronavirus Response 
Act and CARES Act   
  G/AG/GEN/161  
 
- 4 - Measure  Agency  Short Description  Website  Legal Reference  for 
Actions  
Coronavirus  Pandemic  EBT USDA  
Food and Nutrition 
Service  The Families First Coronavirus Response Act 
of 2020 provides the Secretary of 
Agriculture authority to approve state 
agency plans for temporary emergency 
standards of eligibility and levels of benefi ts 
under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. 
Children who would receive free or reduced 
price meals under the Richard B. Russel 
National School Lunch Act if not for the 
school closure are eligible under this 
provision. State agencies may submit plans 
in any case in which a school is closed for at 
least five consecutive days during a public 
health emergency designation during which 
the school would otherwise be in session.  https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state -
guidance -coronavirus -pandemic -ebt-pebt Families First 
Coronavirus Response 
Act of 2020  
Paycheck Protection  
Program (PPP)  Small Business 
Administration  (SBA)  The PPP is a loan designed to provide a 
direct incentive for small businesses, 
including agricultural businesses, to keep 
their workers on the payroll.  SBA will forgive 
loans if all employees are kept on the 
payroll for eight weeks and the money is 
used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or 
utilities.  https://www.sba.gov/funding -
programs/loans/coronavirus -relief-
options/paycheck -protection -program  CARES Act, Paycheck 
Protection Program and 
Healthca re 
Enhancement Act,  the 
Paycheck Protection 
Program Flexibility Act 
of 2020  
Economic Injury  
Disaster Loan Advance 
(EIDL)  Small Business 
Administration (SBA)  Eligible small business owners may apply 
for an EIDL Advance, which is an advance 
designed to provide economic relief to 
businesses, including agricultural 
businesses, that are currently experiencing 
a temporary loss of revenue. This loan 
advance will not have to be repaid.  https://www.sba.gov/funding -
programs/loans/coronavirus -relief-
options/economic -injury -disaster -loan-
emergency -advance  CARES Act, Paycheck 
Protection Program  
and Healthcare 
Enhancement Act  
 
 
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